Last Day in Paradise - Alex Skolnick Trio

A few years ago I bought the first Alex Skolnick trio album ‘Goodbye to Romance’ not knowing what to expect. I was suitably impressed by the Jazz take on metal songs from Kiss, Sabbath, Aerosmith and Scorpions. They were good imaginative and well composed arrangements and of course featured the very excellent and tasteful guitar noodling of mr Skolnick. The next album, ‘Transformation’ featured a few originals alongside some Judas Priest, Dio and Deep Purple classics.

Now on the (sometimes difficult) 3rd album, the focus is shifting towards more original material, but with some well chosen covers thrown in.

The band of Matt Zebroski (drums), Nathan Peck (bass) and Alex Skolnick (guitars and stuff), have created a very raw live feel, which if you turn your stereo up, turn your central heating all the way up, sit at a small scruffy round table on a wobbly seat, drinking a wee dram of “the water of life”, get someone to puff some cigarette smoke in your face, have some ambient background chatter with the occasional loud overbearing laugh and get some one to bang into you as they walk past your chair, then it will feel exactly like your enjoying the Trio at any good jazz club, such is the feel and mood they evoke.

The opener Mercury Retrograde has a wee nod of the hat to Pat Metheny with the vocal melody. I have to admit I’m not really keen on vocals in my jazz and it does sound a bit ‘we need to do something different on this song’. It is however infuriatingly catchy! Alex’s’ chord work, throughout the album reminds me a bit of Allan Holdsworth meets Eric Johnson especially in the afore mentioned opener and in the listless and thoughtful second track Last Day in Paradise which also has a great drifting off feel at the end, played on bowed double bass.

On tracks like the Lizard (Flecktone 7/4 feel) or Channel 4 there are some real moments of brilliance within the arrangements, grooves and solos (and not just from Alex). There is a great Q+A guitar and drum soloing on Channel 4 albeit a wee bit short, also a good melodic bass solo in Out There Somewhere. It’s also nice to hear guitar comping under the bass and drum solos. Not enough guitarists or piano/keys player do this in jazz.

My Favourite track, Shades of Grey, is a real mood piece full of texture and dynamics. It’s mellow and comforting like listening to tales of old accompanied by a dram of best XO brandy and a fine cigar! It has twists and turns and a bit of an edge to the deceptively relaxed feel. More very subtle bowed bass in the fade out.
Of course another of the high points of this virtuoso trio is their take on classic rock and metal classics. Rush’s’ Tom Sawyer is given a drum n’ bass modern jazz makeover that is interesting and original, but just lacks either another instrumental texture (at times) or a different mix. It still has loads of energy to it and is very memorable.

Ozzy Osborne’s, Revelation (Mother Earth), is reinterpreted with a nice ‘If Randy Rhodes was still with us playing an arch top’ type beginning, then becomes pure ‘Skolnick’, with his middle position pickup sound and sophisticated harmonies. He also plays some lovely melody variations in the second verse before another great mellow bass solo.

If you’re an old (or young) Spanish speaking Testament fan, then you should recognise that Practicalo que Predicas means Practise What You Preach, which is from the Testament album of the same name. It’s great fun to A/B the two versions and ‘spot the difference’. It is a real master class in rehamonising and composition and would make a great study for any serious student of music. The rhythm section really shines on this one, grooving tighter than my wallet. Matt’s drum solo is fantastic. Somewhere in between Dennis Chambers and Vinnie Coleauta. I don’t need to mention the excellent and intense guitaring throughout the track.

WARNING: I was listening to the album on my ipod in a pub (surprise surprise!) and just after the relaxing fade and warm glow that is the end of Shades of Grey there is a blissful tranquil silence whilst you absorb the rich, complex flavours of the aforementioned sonic sculpture then… PEEEEEP! A bloody referees whistle blows your eardrums together, your eyes go in the opposite direction than is natural and you let out an involuntary girly scream in a bar in deepest darkest Dundee! (Not the most masculine thing I have ever done). Nearly dropped my wee dram!

Anyway, The last track Western Sabbath Stomp is a ballsy mid tempo metal, slide guitar in dungarees and straw hat with a dram of southern comfort (again, with the wee drams!) sitting on a porch with a bit of mischief in the eye and a loaded shotgun type of affair!!!!! Totally out of place with the rest of the album, but I like that kind of thing.

All the other guitarists I have mentioned in this piece are merely an audio reference to a particular melodic colour. Alex himself has a very distinct, twangy tone and a good blend of technique and melodicism. There is a good mix of jazz, blues and rock styles within the guitar solos. The Lizard and Shades of Grey are particularly tasty wee visions of guitaristic bliss. There is no self indulgent widdle or stock licks in this Last Day of Paradise. In fact, in between lines you can almost hear the sonically wise rock n’ roll rebel refusing to wear the polo necked jersey with patches on the elbows, wear a beret, grow a minimalist goatee and refer everyone as a cat!

Collectively the band have a unique and instantly identifiable hybrid sound which rests somewhere between Bright Size Life era Metheny with a little bit of Charlie Hunter trio or Larry Coryell and even a hint of Flecktones!

On the downside the album lacks a bit of bass and seems to have been compressed too much in the mastering process taking away some of the dynamics.

I also, from a very personal point of view would prefer electric bass. I understand that might detract from the traditional jazz approach the trio have gone for, but this is not your typical traditional ‘Stella by Starlight’ for the millionth time type of ensemble. It would also be nice to have some different sonic textures either from a pickup change on the guitar or guitar synth (although I would say that!), just to make the icing more ‘ear catching’ on this already desirable cake.
If you’ve followed the last 2 albums then you can hear a natural progression to this point and with musicians of this calibre it is very interesting to listen to them experimenting and having fun. I can't wait to see what they do next.

The music does at times make you think, ‘what would have happened if by an accident of birth and time, Wes Montgomery was born in Birmingham and joined Black Sabbath!!!!!’

Website: www.alexskolnick.com

Myspace: www.myspace.com/alexskolnicktrio

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex2Rf6WQvIY